Hertfordshire and Middlesex Rugby Merit Tables

The Hertfordshire/Middlesex Merit Tables were created in 2002 to provide all those rugby sides from the Hertfordshire, Middlesex and adjacent County Unions, which were not playing in the Rugby Football Union National Leagues or other merit tables, an opportunity to play in a competitive structured competition. The clubs are generally located in an area within 20 miles of the triangle formed by the A1/M1/A505.

The teams participating are normally the 2nd, 3rd and 4th XVs of clubs, although several smaller clubs have entered their 1st XVs such that in 2017-18 we had seven 1st XVs across the tables. The Merit Tables are also used as a starting point for newly formed clubs to demonstrate their playing and administrative abilities before being accepted into the RFU League Structure. In 2019-20, the tables have grown to accommodate 68 sides, a far cry from the 12 sides that took the plunge in 2002.

This season we have consolidated our teams into seven tables, so that each table consists of nine or ten sides, who will play each other twice. At the lower end of the Competition, we have regionalised the teams to keep travelling down to a minimum, this gives us Tables 4 and 5 North/East and 4 and 5 South/West. We are also pleased to welcome Beaconsfield 3rd and Leighton Buzzard 2nd for the first time and trust they will enjoy playing the many clubs with whom they have lost touch since the regionalisation of fixtures when leagues were intruduced. Welcome back.

2018 Hertfordshire/Middlesex Merit Table Knock-Out Competition

28th APRIL 2018

Rob McClement presenting Ampthill 4th with their Merit Table 2 and

Knock-Out Competition Winners Trophies

The Merit Table Knock-Out Finals were held at Letchworth and Saracens Amateurs Rugby Clubs this season, where we had our wettest day since the Knock-Out Competition began in 2005-06, however 14 competitive matches were played and were well supported by their club members and families. We were delighted to welcome Rob McClement , a dedicated Hertfordshire RFU Competitions Organiser among his many roles, who was at Letchworth, while Ian "Foggy" Atkinson, stood in at the last moment at Saracens Amateurs. Foggy and Bryony, with our new recruit to the Merit Table Organisation, Brian De Honri, were also officiating at Saracens, while Bob Moore and myself got very wet at Letchworth.

We appreciate the support that we received from all the local referee societies throughout the season. Hertfordshire Referees Society covered all fourteen games of the Knock-Out Finals, with teams of three for each match. we also appreciate the support from the many volunteers at all our participating clubs and especially the many hundreds of players that turn out on Saturday afternoons to enjoy a game of rugby and everything that entails. There are more players participating in the Merit Table matches each Saturday than in the RFU League structures, so we want you all to be proud to be able to say "I play rugby in the H/M Merit Tables."